The Film Daily (1924)

THE Sunday, June 15, 1924 DAILY Richard Talmadge in "In Fast Company" Producer : Carlos Productions. Distributor: Truart — State Rights. As a Whole. . . .STUNT STAR SUPPLIES ADMIRERS WITH SOME NEW FAST AND FURIOUS ACTION. STORY INCIDENTAL. MOST IMPORTANT OF ITSELF, BUT PROVIDES THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITIES. Star Is kept pretty busy. Offers great variety of action that includes his usual thrilling rescues, escapes and a prize fight that has laughs as well as action. Cast.... Mildred Harris attractive lead. Nicely photographed and pretty in close-ups. Gives star good support. Sheldon Lewis typical villain. Others Douglas Gerrard, Snitz Edwards, Lydia Yeamans Titus, Jack Herrick, Charles Clary. Type of Story Comedy stunt picture. A logical plot and substantial situations are not really to be expected in these action pictures that rely on a series of thrills and breath-taking stunts to entertain, "In Fast Company", by Alfred Cohn, isn't important as far as the actual plot is concerned but it affords a long line-up of thoroughly appropriate opportunities for Talmadge to "do his stuff" and he does it well. It's one of those all-hero things with the star knocking 'em dead from start to finish. Not one gets away from him. The film starts off with the staging of a wild party with which hero celebrates his expulsion from college. Then the excitement commences. Hero's father gives him a hundred dollar bill and tells him not to come back until he has made good at something. The bill blows out of his hand, thus providing a grand episode with Talmadge risking his neck in every foot of film. Comes in rapid succession, a prize fight, several daring escapes from the villain's crew, rescue of the girl, and auto dash over the cliff, another rescue and so on along the line until the usual clinch and the announcement that hero anl the girl had already been married. Box Office Angle Truart presents a press sheet with some facts regarding Talmadge's stunts. These should make interesting reading for your folks and offer good advertising for his latest offering. You can promise a fast and thrilling feature in "In Fast Company". A trailer of any of the star's thrillers should also serve to bring them back. Where you have been showing recent Richard Talmadge features to satisfaction, it shouldn't be difficult to get this one over. If anything, it's even faster than his previous offerings. Direction James W. Home; adequate. Author Alfred A .Cohn Scenario Garret Elsdon Fort Cameraman Wm. Marshall Photography All right Locale California Length 5,411 feet. Charles Jones in "Western Luck" Fox As a Whole JONES OFFERS GOOD ACTION PICTURE THAT WILL PLEASE HIS ADMIRERS AND THOSE WHO DON'T TIRE OF SEEING HEROES OUTWIT BANDS OF VILLAINS IN GLORIOUS FASHION. Star. ... Is kept pretty busy playing hero and saving the old ranch from being taken over because the option is about to expire and his old father can't pay up. Gives star usual opportunities. Cast Regulation types. Beatrice Burnham, lead; not important. Others Pat Hartigan, Tom Lingham, J. Farrell McDonald. Edith Rennick. Bruce Gordon. Type of Story .... Western. There's not much out of the ordinary in the plot but as long as it supplies the sort of action, stunts and thrills that folks expect in a western, and like, it doesn't matter very much that "Western Luck" doesn't boast of originality. It moves along at a fast pace and there's continuous action and thrills to keep the spectator's interest alive. There isn't much suspense and the few bits that are injected really don't provide any hair-raising moments because they are too old. That old timer, the hero-villain fight on the cliff, is too familiar to cause much excitement. The plot deals with the separation of two boys in infancy. One is reared by a ranch owner while the other becomes a no-account when the father finds wealth. It happens that the noaccount becomes involved in a deal to cheat the rancher out of his property and at the same time double-cross his father. How the son, reared by the rancher, foils the scheme makes up the action bits. Naturally it develops into a fairly exciting climax with brother fighting against brother and the relationship finally becoming known and a happy reunion following. Box Office Angle. .. .Average western. You know best how you can use it. Where they are satisfied with a picture that gives them action and thrills in the way of fast riding, stunts, fights, rescues, etc. You can figure this one to please as well as any. Exploitation. .. .You might play this up by telling of the two brothers, separated when babies, and fighting against each other later on and not knowing that they were brothers. Show a trailer of the fire scene in the opening reel and some shots of Jones' rescue stunts. Use the star's name prominently, promising them that he lives up to his past performances and offers good thrills for their pleasure. There are no other names in the cast that you can use to interest them. Direction George Beranger; all right. Author Robert Lee Scenario Robert Lee Cameraman Joseph Brotherton Photography Satisfactory Locale The West Length 5.020 feet "Those Who Dance" Producer: Thos. H. Ince. Distributo)". First National. As a Whole.. ..UP-TO-THE-MINUTE, ABSORBING CROOK MELODRAMA THAT GRIPS FROM START TO FINISH. HAS FINE PLOT, WELL WORKED OUT AND WITH A CLIMAX THAT HAS KNOCKOUT SUSPENSE. Cast.... Made for the parts. Couldn't be better suited to individual roles. Bessie Love great as the "dizzy" wife of the bootlegger, played especially well by Mathew Betz. Robert Agnew good as the innocent country kid; Blanche Sweet contributes excellent acting bit in latter reels. Warner Baxter fine, particularly in impersonation of notarious crook. His makeup great. Others unimportant. Type of Story ... .Crook melodrama. Thomas H. Ince may, or may not, have intended his latest production as an aid to prohibition enforcement, but whether he did or not, there's enough sound reasoning and actual fact in George Kibbe Turner's story to make a lot of folks sit up and take notice. The plot deals with one of the most popular industries of the time — bootlegging — and deals with it in such a way as to be not only a mightly interesting picture but also a mighty powerful warning. It puts forth some cold facts regarding the illicit business of peddling booze on the q. t, the dangers incurred by the consumer, and the risk of the distributor. Outside of containing a theme of worldwide interest, "Those Who Dance", is a genuinely absorbing crook melodrama, has been splendidly developed and has enough tense moments to keep them on the edges of the seats most of the time. A few gruesome touches in the death house are a bit too harrowing and might be eliminated. Lambert Hillyer has used both his cast and his story to great advantage. He hasn't missed a chance to make the most of either. His occasional comedy relief is also very fine. A good picture every way you take it. Box Office Angle. . . .Should be a real money-maker. Has unlimited possibilities and should be really easy to handle. Be sure to put this one down on your list for an early date. Exploitation. ... Maybe the prohibition enforcers won't like the manner in which one of their members is exposed as working in league with the bootleggers but you can fully rely on the unlimited cooperation of all anti-liquor interests to boost this picture. Have a showing for clergymen and get their support. Get local authorities to provide you with the number of deaths in your locality from wood alcohol poisoning and use the figures in your advertising. Get in back of this every way you can. Business should be good. Direction Lambert Hillyer; excellent. Author George Kibbe Turner Scenario Arthur Statter Cameraman Not credited Photography Good Locale N. Y.-N. J. Length 7,312 feet. "Daughters of Pleasure" Producer: B. F. Zeldman Distributor: Principal — State Rights As a Whole... NOT ENTIRELY NEW IN THEME BUT NICELY HANDLED AND GIVEN GOOD PRODUCTION; RUNS TOO LONG FOR AMOUNT OF MATERIAL IN STORY. Cast Marie Prevost well suited and capable as the "jazz daughter"; Monte Blue fulfills requirements out he's not quite the right type for the role of the rounder. Wilfred Lucas first rate as a modern father and fidythe Chapman pleasing as the old fashioned mother. Clara Bow a cute flapper vamp who hasn't much to do. Type of Story Comedy-drama. While "Daughters of Pleasure" is on the order of the "modern girl" stories it differs from some of its predecessors of a similar kind in that it doesn't rely on cabaret entertainment. A little of this, however, might have speeded up some slow spots on the way where director Beaudine has lingered too long on close-ups and long drawn out sequences that tend to retard the interest. But in spite of lack of display "Daughters of Pleasure" affords interesting material and presents a not wholly new but still engaging situation in connection with sudden wealth. In this case it is more the father than the daughter who steps out when oil on the old farm suddenly makes him rich. His pleasures are mostly confined to bestowing gifts on a pretty flapper while his old fashioned wife believes he is true to her. When both daughter and wife learn of the father's affair the girl decides to run off with a rounder and the mother plans to leave him. Instead a vesper service gives the girl a change of heart, she marries and mother and father make up and arrive in time for the wedding. Box Office Angle Should please. Contains good production values, first rate cast and up-to-date plot that will make it interesting for the average audience. Exploitation You might stir up added interest by talking of this as a "modern father's" picture in contrast to the current rage on "modern girl" pictures. Use catchlines such as "It isn't always the daughter who steps out. See 'Daughters of Pleasure' and you'll find another member of the family is giving mother something to worry about." The title will attract many and you might show a trailer using the introductory scenes contrasting the dinner table before and after the appearance of riches. Use stills of Marie Prevost and mention her name and Monte Blue's in your announcements. Direction William Beaudine; good but should have speeded story. Author Caleb Proctor Scenario Eve Unsell Cameraman ....Charles Van Enger Photography Good Loca'e City Length ' 6.000 feet